Source: Cyberchase: “Return to Sensible Flats”
Funding for the VITAL/Ready to Teach collection was secured through the United States Department of Education under the Ready to Teach Program.
Decreasing Water Levels
(Video)
National K -12 Subject:
Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
In this video segment from Cyberchase, the CyberSquad has returned to Sensible Flats to help refill the reservoir. In order to prevent the reservoir from flooding the town, the CyberSquad creates a graph to predict the increase in water level over time.
Download and ShareInvestigations/Scott Foresman (2006)
Different Shapes, Equal Pieces
Investigation 1, Session 5: pp. 19-21
Investigation 2, Sessions 3 and 4: pp. 29-37
Investigation 3, Sessions 1 and 2, pp. 41-45
Here are some Frame, Focus and Follow-up suggestions for using this video in a math lesson.
What is Frame, Focus and Follow-up?
Frame: When you look at a line graph sometimes a trend is visible. For example, you may find that a plant measured 2 cm. at the end of one week, 4 cm. at the end of the second week and 6 cm. at the end of the third week. Try to graph this information with a line graph. Can you extend the graph to make predictions about the fourth and fifth week?
Focus: In this segment, Matt makes a line graph with data he collected about the number of minutes it has taken the water in the reservoir to rise to certain levels. Watch to see how Matt and Jackie predict how much time they have left before the water overflows the reservoir.
Follow Up: How were Matt and Jackie able to predict how much time was left before the water reached the top of the reservoir? How can you predict a trend from what you see on a line graph? Do trends on graphs always continue on in the same exact manner over time?
DEKE: It’s workin’! It’s gonna rain! Don’t quit now, fish don’t quit on me now!
INEZ Reach for your rainboots, Jax! You’re gonna get wet! It’s raining up here, and soon the pipe will bring water down to you!
RUDY: It’s a gusher!
MATT: I think the water’s rising too fast!
JACKIE: What should we do?
MATT: Let’s graph it!
HACKER: Ah, yes! It’s good to be awful!
HACKER: What happened here, you two duncebuckets? Who stole my water?
MATT: According to our graph, the water level has risen 10 meters in 5 minutes!
JACKIE: And look at this! If the water level keeps rising at the same rate and we extend the line on the graph...
JACKIE: We can predict the water level will rise past 20 meters in another three...four...five minutes!
RUDY: Above 20 meters?! Why, that’s over the top of the tank!
MATT: Sorry, Rudy. But that’s the story.
RUDY: If that picture’s right and the reservoir does overflow the whole town’ll be flooded
JACKIE: Hold on! If Inez and Digit can turn the water on they can turn the water off!
INEZ You want us to do what??
MATT: Close the pipe to the reservoir!
Loading Standards
Connections
Print Connections